CES: Samsung ‘Notebook 9’ Series to Challenge MacBook Air

Apple’s most recent line of MacBook Air computers is an impressive competitor in the ultraportable notebook market. While the 11-inch MacBook Air weighs in at just 2.2 pounds, the 13.3-inch version actually strikes me as somewhat more impressive given that its got a nice, big keyboard and the screen resolution is a whopping 1440×900 (most 13 inchers sports 1366×768 or lower resolutions) while keeping the weight at just shy of three pounds.

Here at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Samsung has just introduced a viable Windows-based competitor to the 13-inch MacBook Air.

The Notebook 9 series sports a 13.3-inch screen yet manages to keep its weight at just 2.88 pounds and the thickness at just .68 inches—roughly the same dimensions as the 13-inch MacBook Air.

The line features Intel’s next-generation Core i5 and i7 processors, which provide a nice balance of battery life and power, whereas Apple’s models feature older Intel Core 2 Duo processors, by comparison.

Samsung was able to keep the weight down while providing a durable exterior by using an aircraft-grade material known as Duralumin, “a lightweight material that is twice as strong as aluminum,” according to the company.

The Notebook 9 series will be available in February with a starting price of $1600. That’s $300 more than the base-level 13-inch MacBook Air, though Samsung’s use of the newer Intel chips and double the standard RAM (4GB versus 2GB) may prove to be worthwhile features for some.